Charlotte Engelhardt on Parenting: "I Want to Raise Them to Be Gentlemen"

The RTL+ format is about women who suffer from problematic behavior by their partners. According to the broadcaster, this includes "Zum Beispiel leeren Versprechungen, Kontrollverhalten und fehlender Wertschätzung." Against this background, Engelhardt explained what is especially important to her in raising her sons.

Classic Gestures as a Parenting Goal

"Mir ist es aber ein absolutes Herzensanliegen, respektvolle, aufmerksame und empathische Männer zu erziehen," said Engelhardt. She added that classic role models continued to play a role despite modern equality: "Bei aller Gleichberechtigung in der heutigen Welt gibt es gewisse klassische Rollen, die sie meiner Meinung nach übernehmen sollten."

As practical examples of "gentlemanlike" behavior, the moderator cited small gestures: "Es fängt schon damit an, der Frau die Tür aufzuhalten oder ihr auch mal ganz selbstverständlich ein Eis zu spendieren – sofern die Frau das will." These attentions were, in her view, part of decent interaction, she emphasized.

Concrete Rules for the Eldest Son

Engelhardt has also formulated concrete rules for the everyday life of her eldest son. The twelve-year-old is sometimes allowed to be out in the village with his friends until 8:00 p.m. "Diese Uhrzeit habe ich bewusst gewählt, weil die Mädchen aus seiner Clique um 19.30 Uhr zu Hause sein müssen," the moderator explained. From this arrangement she derives another parenting principle: "Ich erwarte von ihm, dass er als Junge und zukünftiger Mann dafür sorgt, diese Mädchen sicher nach Hause zu bringen."

She summed up her attitude in a brief formula: "Tür aufhalten, mal ein Eis ausgeben und Mädchen sicher nach Hause bringen: Für Moderatorin Charlotte Engelhardt gehört das bei Jungs einfach dazu." At the same time, she emphasized that all of this only made sense if it was wanted by both sides – for example, in the case of the ice cream, that the woman really wanted it.

Engelhardt added with a caveat that, as the mother of two sons, she could not teach certain things herself. "Da ich keine Tochter habe, kann ich leider keine starke Frau großziehen," she said. But the upbringing toward respect, attentiveness, and empathy should apply regardless of gender.

Early Values and Respect in Everyday Life

Engelhardt also spoke about the fact that such values needed to be instilled early. In her view, small gestures were not a nostalgic relic of old conventions, but an expression of respectful interaction. With the ice cream, too, the principle applied: it depended on the gesture and the consent of the other person.

The statements were distributed on Friday via the dpa news channel. The RTL+ show "Bad Boyfriends - Jetzt wird abgerechnet" addresses women who suffer from their partners' behavior and, according to the broadcaster, gives them a platform to share their experiences.

The dpa report did not provide further information about the current private life of the moderator and her ex-husband Sido. According to consistent reports, the two were a couple whose relationship produced the two sons, who are now of primary school and early teenage age.

The reaction on social networks to the statements was mixed over the weekend: while some users welcomed the clearly formulated rules, others viewed the different curfew times for boys and girls critically. An official statement from those involved in this debate was not initially available.